Car wash ex-employee accused of recording woman in washroom

Colleague found cellphone, wrapped on towel, recording in women's washroom

Winnipeg police were called on Tuesday to the Midtown Car Wash on Gertrude Avenue, where an 18-year-old employee told officers she found a cellphone concealed in the women's washroom. (CBC)

A 21-year-old man who worked at the Midtown Car Wash in Winnipeg has been arrested after police got a call about a cellphone secretly recording a female colleague in a washroom.

Police say they were called on Tuesday to a business in the 300 block of Gertrude Avenue, where an 18-year-old employee told officers she found a cellphone concealed in the women's washroom.

"She observed a camera or a cellular device which was recording, wrapped up in a towel," Const. Jason Michalyshen told reporters on Thursday.

"It appears that she did view some of the images. At least one of those images was of her."

The cellphone belonged to a male employee, according to police.

Police are checking the phone to see if anyone else may have been recorded in the washroom, which is used by both employees and the public, Michalyshen said.

"That's a concern with respect to potentially other individuals being recorded," he said. "I have no information to support any other individuals were recorded, but [it's] something we are certainly looking into."

A manager at the Midtown Car Wash told CBC News the incident was isolated and no customers were recorded.

The female employee was given time off to recover from the incident and the male employee was fired immediately, said the manager, who added that he hopes nothing like this ever happens again at the car wash.

The 21-year-old man faces charges of committing an indecent act and failing to comply with the condition of an undertaking by an officer in charge.